Alone In Hell
by Red is My New Black
Summary: The final days of Simon R. Garlick, Research Specialist from Delta Labs Doom 3 .
1. Descent

**_Expedition Expectations_**

_Simon,_

_As you know, you have been assigned to Expedition 14 A-2. There are several goals we hope your team will be able to meet while on expedition. Since you are familiar with the discovered tablets, we would like you to find cooperative evidence on the other side of the Main Portal - similar writings of any kind should be photographed and collected._

_Primarily, we are looking to capture several more bio-specimens. Having already collected many of the smaller 'imp' creatures', we would like to bring back one of the larger ones, described by others as a 'Hell-Knight'. Previous expeditions have reported seeing them at the Main Portal destination, where you will be arriving. You will have several weapons with you, but we ask that you attempt to use non-lethal force, we would really like to have a live specimen if possible._

_Finally, travelling through the portal has caused varied reactions. For our records we would like you to keep an audio log of everything you experience for us to later analyze._

_I hope you have a safe trip._

_Heather._

* * *

Maybe it was the work. Or the pressure. Or the pay. But, looking back, I tend to believe it was the curiosity that drove me to join up to the expeditions. The insatiable, infectious curiosity that affected almost everyone who even got a look at those stone tablets.

I remember when I first saw the tablets. Just my standing next to one of them, you could tell they were genuine. They had a...presence about them that seemed to both disturb and seduce me. It was alien, for sure.

Alien. Later, I though of the tablets when I was working, and I came to the conclusion that _we _were the aliens. _We_ were the ones who had invaded and stationed ourselves on that red planet. But, nevertheless, my curiosity got the better of me.

When I did sign up to the expedition, I was under the impression I would simply be taking samples, and maybe, _just maybe_, I would get a chance at seeing the 'bio-specimens' I had heard about. But when I was issued a plasma gun, and held it tentatively in my palms, everything became different. Suddenly, I was embarking on a dangerous and life-threatening journey - risking my life in the name of finding some creature. Still. I wanted to do it.

On the day of my departure, I heard rumours that the Board of the UAC were sending two representatives to check up on Mars, and Betruger, apparently. Malcolm Betruger, in my opinion, was a brilliant scientist and a visionary. At least...that's what I _used _to believe. I always thought that if the UAC could give us a bit of freedom, the teleportation project could soar. Everything seems so easy when it's going right.

The transporter was a strange device. It looked like a compressor, as oppose to a teleporter. But when it fired up...it was something to be marvelled at. It was stunning, in every sense of the word. But when I approached it, I became fearful. The soldier in front of me stepped in and, in approximately three seconds, vanished. Knowing the teleporter had a limited operation span, I hurriedly moved into position. The beams of light grew stronger, and flashed past my eyes. I felt like I was being stretched sideways, and my vision blurred. Then...I was gone.


	2. Arrival

I had left Mars.

The next thing I saw was some sort of...tunnel. It was only there for a split second. It was crimson, bloodied, and it felt like I was falling through it.

Then I was with the rest of the expedition. The site was partly excavated and the obvious signs of life were littered around me, but I could not be sure whether 'life' was strictly limited to 'human life'. I looked up. The sky was red and black. The choking, sickening air I was inhaling resembled that of a furnace. There was great pools and rivers of molten magma surrounding me, and tall cliffs rose from them. I could observe the faint hint of architecture, and moved to observe it. It looked like a ram's skull. My fingers rose subconsciously to touch it. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," commented a soldier, standing to my right. "A lab-coat touched that yesterday. Damn near singed his entire hand off." I hastily thanked him and moved off.

The inhospitable environment, however, did not stop me and the team taking samples and searching for signs of alien life.

* * *

**_Dimensional Uniqueness_**

_Simon,_

_In preparation for your 'jump' next week, I wanted to inform you of another task-list item we need to cover. Since the Main Portal has not been operational for a few weeks, we have not had time to follow up on some of the physiological reports. While on the other side of the portal, pay close attention to your stamina while working and moving around. Many individuals have reported a lack of being tired, and some work constantly without the need for rest. One of the teams has called it 'the Hercules complex'. Anyhow, to help us further our study, please record any additional information related to this phenomenon._

_Thank you, and good luck next week!_

_Earl Besch, __Research Scientist_

* * *

Work was simple and effortless, probably the effects of 'the Hercules complex' Besch warned me about. It was not a strange, unnatural sensation...I just did not feel tired. But I still had not warmed up to the place.

After a few hours, the expedition leader informed us we had a half an hour until we were supposed to be moving on, searching for 'specimens'. I relished the news...I was getting sick of putting the same old dirt or sculpture in a bag. I wanted to see these 'creatures' close up.

Then, something terrifying happened.


	3. Seperation

**_Separated From The Team_**

_"This is the audio log of Research Specialist Simon Garlick, dated August 8, 2145. It seems that I have misplaced the rest of the science team. I don't know how it happened. This place...well, I don't know what this place has done with them. One moment there, I'm taking samples and the next thing I know, I...I turn around and everybody's gone. _

_There one second - turn around - and they're gone._

_I can't raise anyone on the comm links, and the only signs of the team I can find are tools and other personal items that seem to have been left behind...almost as if they stopped mid-way through running experiments. _

_This place does funny things to your eyes and perception of time._

_Hopefully, they just went into the next sector and are waiting for me to catch up. I'm...going off to find them now. _

_This is S...Simon Garlick, signing off."_

* * *

I was alone, in an alien wasteland. It seemed like the scarlet and black walls had swallowed the rest of the expedition. But...how could they...disappear like that?

No equipment was taken, just...people.

It came to me that there was only one thing that could have taken them...the specimens we were searching for. But they must have been fast...there were no screams. Just...disappeared...

I had been trained in these situations to keep calm and professional. I knew that they would have to be somewhere. I set off, heading into the next sector. The land was cruel and almost...Hellish. It was crazy, but I started thinking that this is not another dimension...this is something else. But I kept my thoughts under control and composed myself, and started looking. I was too wary to call out, so instead I tried to look for tracks in the soot that covered the path I was on. Nothing.

I returned to the expedition and grabbed as many useful tools as I could, including the plasma gun. I walked into a large...building, I suppose. It can only be described as evil. I could not fathom the way in which some twisted mind had built this place. I walked through winding stairs and through large rooms, hallways and passages. As I walked through into what seemed to be the entrance to a larger structure, a stone door slammed behind me. There was no-one around, but I felt like things were watching me. I moved towards the door and tried to open it - it was sealed shut. There was not a handle or a lever or anything that could possibly explain how this door was opened. I gave up and looked ahead.

There was another series of steps. I embarked up them, and as I did so, I checked my PDA. It was August 10! I had spent two days walking in circles!! I ran up the steps and entered a large area. It was impresseive, in a sense. There were huge steel bars that strecthed from the ground to the ceiling - cages. There was a way ahead, but I decided I would set up a tempoaray camp here, and try to get me bearings and force myself into sleep.


	4. Taken

The ongoing noise of the flow of molten magma made the 'camp' seem as if it was stationed near a volcano. I had placed all the items I had carried neatly beside the steel bars (out of sight) and decided to explore. After what seemed like ten minutes I stumbled upon UAC equipment. It appeared to be a lost expedition...probably the one a month ago! I looked for bodies, but found none, so instead I brought all the gear left behind back to the camp.

I was not tired whatsoever, but I knew that the last thing I would need is sleep deprivation. So I tried to get to sleep. My eyes simply would not stay shut. It took an immense amount of discipline just to keep my eyelids together for more than half a minute! Giving up, I decided to simply lie there and plan my next course of action.

In the distance, I saw multiple pairs of red dots. Eyes. Constant, unblinking, staring at my every move. Then another set appeared above them. Then another. It was peculiar. I told myself I was just seeing things, but when I heard a small dog-like yelp come from the eyes, I knew something was up. There was a new set of eyes, higher above, and only two blue dots. I felt unnerved and pressed by back against the bars. Another pair of blue eyes appeared. I squashed myself into a corner, ignoring the claustrophobic feeling emerging within me. Suddenly, the eyes vanished. I took the chance to grab my plasma gun and arm it. I lay back down, savouring my solitude, thinking of a plan whilst holding the gun by my side.

Then a set of red dots appeared. I shot them instantly. Three blue shots fired into the darkness. The eyes were still there.

Then two blue eyes moved out of the darkness, moving to my right. For the several seconds the light was on it, I got a look at it. The...demon...was huge. It must have been several meters tall, and looked like...it didn't look like anything Earthly. It walked...like a person did...however, it was so fast and powerful, it seemed to cover at least four metres in every step. The ground shook as it walked. It turned around, snarled, and moved off. Once it was out of sight, I looked down at my protection suit. The bottom half of it was wet.

By the end of that hour, I counted 37 eyes. The occasional yelp, or heavy breathing, was more than unnerving. I felt like I was losing my mind. I reached for my PDA.

* * *

**_Still Seperated From The Team_**

_"This is the audio log of Research Specialist Simon Garlick, dated August 10, 2145. It's been two days now since I've seen any other team members. I don't know how I've survived this long, or how I got away. They were just...uh...torn...apart._

_Um...they...they could only be described...as demons. I have never seen such a big thing move so quickly. Oh dear God, what has happened to us? The teeth...that's the last thing I remember seeing. The sounds...words cannot describe. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they find me again._

_I'm convinced they are toying with me...allowing me to stay two steps ahead of them. I...I see them in the shadows. I...**why do they taunt me??**_

_I'm not sure how much longer I...I can...I...I'm shooting at shadows here. And at every moment, I feel them creeping closer towards me. _

_Oh God. Oh God we should never have..."_


	5. Unnecessary Ending 1

***WARNING***

The story really should end in Chapter 4, since that's all the info from Doom 3 and I think that any more on it would just be stupid.

Therefore, I strongly recommend you review this story, favourite it, whatever, and do not read the next chapter(s). The mystery of what you find in Hell- Part 2 is best left unexplained, in my opinion.

**However**, I will try and give a really shitty conclusion to something best left alone for imagination's sake.

***ABANDON HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE***

* * *

**_Conclusion One (Hollywood Ending):_**

The ash tasted awful.

I came to my senses. I was lying, face down, in a completely different sector. My suit was strewn in front of me. I hastily tried to recover it, but a searing heat exploded on my back. I collapsed, and slowly turned. A demon, standing upright, was staring down at me. It then ran off, on four legs like a dog, out of sight. I struggled but managed to get back to my feet.

As I stood up, the massive demon I had seen before approached. It must have been the 'Hell Knight' I had heard of. It grabbed me, painfully grasping me in its' oversized digits, and carried me. I passed out.

When I reawoke, I was in a cage. I looked around. It was the team! I was overjoyed until I noticed that they were not moving. I shouted some of their names, but I got no response. A demon shuffled in, and took the expedition leader. He threw him on the ground and tore off his right arm. No response from the leader whatsoever. The demon examined the arm with curiosity, then placed it aside. It then went to tear off his left leg, remove his tongue, and take several teeth and an eyeball from the incapacitated leader. The corpse then disintegrated in a smoky burst of heat. I felt sick, but the Hercules Complex still had an effect on me and I continued to feel alert and awake.

The demon, after a few minutes, moved to the next prisoner, and performed a similar ritual. It then approached me. I played dead as it threw me to the floor. Then, as it peered over me, I stabbed its' face with my hand. My fingers plunged through several of the demon's squishy corneas. It howled in pain, and fell backwards, temporarily blind. I stood up and grabbed the leaders hand, holding it like a bat. The demon lunged at me, and I dodged it expertly, then smacked it over the back of the head with the arm. Several bones, both in the arm and the demon, broke. It fell over, and after a few kicks, I was determined I had severely debilitated it. I searched through the cages and found a pistol, and thirteen bullets. I loaded it and ran out of the holding cells. A demon, similar to the one I had just dealt with, jumped in surprise. I fired two, well-placed bullets inbetween its' eyes, and it collapsed to the ground. I ran and was nearly out of the holding cell area when I heard the footsteps of the Hell Knight behind me. I turned and faced it. It swelled in size, then cocked its' arm, forming a blue ball in its' palm. I ran forward, and dodged the blue sphere with two forward-rolls. I then ran in-between the beasts' legs and speedily shot it once in the groin. It howled in agony, and I then fired two shots at its' foot, aiming for the toes. It slouched against the wall, and ran behind it. I rolled twice, then aim and fired a perfect shot at the back it's head. It fell over and cremated.

I ran out of the room and entered some sort of balcony overlooking the endless red wastes of Hell. I continued along until I came to the steel barred room I had been in. Everything was gone. I looked around, searching for an exit. Another Hell-Knight was approaching. I quickly went prone and played dead.

It towered over me. I could hear it snort, and warm drops of mucus oozed onto my shoulders. It then lifted one foot, intending to squash me. I snapped out of my acting and shot three quick bullets into the raised foot, then two at its' head. It swayed, and I fired a further three bullets at its' skull. It hit the ground with an almighty crash.

Then I heard a terrible sound. A screech, a Hell-raising screech, emitting from my right. I turned to face it, and found I was facing the Maledict. I aimed and fired, but I was out of bullets. The last thing I remember was something...jumping up...and biting me.

"And that's all I have to say about that."

"It was a bullet, wasn't it?"

"A bullet?"

"That jumped up and bit you?"

"Oh! Yes sir...bit me directly in the buttocks."

**The End**

-Yes, I know...I didn't really like this ending either.

-Yes, I know the pistol in Doom 3 is not that good and it takes you far more than four shots to kill a Hell-Knight with it.

-Yes, I know the ending is completely in contrast with the story.

-Yes, I know the 'losing my mind' thing disappeared.

-Yes, I know that the odds of a Research Scientist being able to be a mean shot and do rolls is...not likely.

-Yes, I know the Maledict was really not until Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil

-Yes, I know the ending is from Forrest Gump. But how else could you end a crappy ending???


End file.
